Betsy DeVos has not demonstrated “basic competency” in issues related to children, according to Sen. Kamala Harris. Harris said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education does not have basic knowledge about how American schools operate. The Democratic senator from California made an effort on Monday night to stop DeVos’ nomination from getting the confirmation.
Simply put: it is clear that Betsy DeVos has not done her homework in preparing for the job and we must refuse to confirm her. #HoldTheFloor
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 7, 2017
According to the California senator, DeVos will be unable to uphold the law since she does not understand the law in the first place. Harris reacted to DeVos’ confirmation hearing and said the nominee had no clue about the difference between two basic modes of testing children. The Republican fundraiser from Michigan earlier seemed unaware of the difference between measuring student growth and student proficiency. These two methods are used to evaluate how much a student is learning.
DeVos cannot and will not uphold the law if she does not understand the law. #HoldTheFloor
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos was slammed by Harris, as she was not ready to commit to make sure that Title IX would be enforced. Title IX is meant to stop the gender discrimination in studies. DeVos’s confirmation hearing did not make a great impression about her knowledge educational laws. She seems unaware of IDEA, aka the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensures that students with special needs get appropriate public education. Harris was critical about DeVos not having any knowledge about the special education law. The Democratic senator made the comments during a 24-hour session to debate DeVos’ nomination.
There is a clear connection between public education and public safety. We must recognize that. #HoldTheFloor #StopDeVos
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos is one of the most controversial choices Trump has made. Her nomination for the top post in education faces sharp criticism, especially from the Democrats. During her career as a school choice activist, DeVos dealt with school vouchers to allow students to attend private schools with the help of tax money. DeVos was highly criticized when she said districts and states should decide if schools needed guns. According to her, Montana schools might need a gun for protection against grizzly bears. According to Harris, DeVos is a “ far greater threat to public education” than the beast, the Los Angeles Times reported.
DeVos’ nomination not only suffered rejection from the Democrats but found opposition among the Republicans as well. Democrats declared that their vote against DeVos’ nomination was unanimous. Two Republican senators earlier announced that they were not going to support the confirmation of DeVos’ nomination. This means DeVos is likely to need Vice-President Mike Pence’s vote to win a tie-breaker for her.
Half a million teachers would be put out of work under the Trump-DeVos plan. Devastating for our six million CA students. #HoldTheFloor
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 7, 2017
Harris was not the only one to criticize Donald Trump for nominating Betsy DeVos for the job. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet said the nomination was “an insult to schoolchildren and their families.” He slammed the nominee’s “dogmatic approach.” According to him, DeVos has not shown commitment to equity. She is rather committed to competition and free-market choice, he said.
I’m #NoOnDeVos because our young people cannot afford to wait four years for their chance at the American Dream. pic.twitter.com/tYphdWlj8R
— Michael F. Bennet (@SenBennetCO) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos is expected to know about the fate of the nomination around noon EST on Tuesday.
[Featured Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]
